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2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3l 1950 2 G. I F

Inve nto r: 4 Emil' H. Bla'rtner his 'rtorney Feb. 14, 1956 E. H.BLATTNER SNUBBING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 51. 1950 FIG. 5

FlG. 4

Inventor: l Emil H. Bla'fner his Attorney' The top spring plate has, atits central area, an opening 23 extending entirely therethrough and thisopening is defined by horizontally spaced legs or end walls 24 normallyand desirably positioned or disposed in vertical alignment with thesubjacent or lower spaced shoes. Joining related extremities of the legsis a pair of parallel connecting walls 2S with these walls beingsuitably reinforced by triangular gussets 26. The end and connectingwalls downstand from the top plate into the contines of the spring unitor snubbing mechanism but, however, terminate short of the bottom platewalls for the purpose to be hereinafter made apparent. Each leg is alsoprovided with a knob or protuberance 27 which extends inwardly of thedevice so that these top cap protuberances also extend toward oneanother and in substantial vertical alignment with the shoeprotuberances.

As will be appreciated the lower or bottom spring plate remainsstationary with respect to the side frame or spring plank and the topspring plate or cap is arranged, during the flexing action of the coilsprings, to move vertically toward or away from the lower spring plate.Accordingly, in order to reflect a vertical movement of the top springplate in the shoes to create the necessary or required frictionalforces, there is incorporated in the device a pair of connecting linksor arms 28. Each link is spaced horizontally from a companion or relatedlink and extends vertically so as to join vertically aligned or relatedprotuberances and since the links are rigid or stiff components, anyvertical movement of the top spring plate will cause the shoes toexecute a like or corresponding vertical movement.

It has been found in practice that a bolster besides moving verticallyrelative to a side frame or spring plank also is caused to movehorizontally in all directions, at least for the value of the clearancesallowed between interlocking parts of the side frame and bolster. lfstructure is not incorporated in the device to compensate for thisreferred to horizontal movement, then the components of the device willbe subjected to stresses for which they may have not been designed towithstand. Also the relative movable parts of the device may not, and inall probability will not function as intended. Accordingly, theprotuherances of the shoes are formed circular or convex and as suchpresent ball or spherical surfaces 29 and these shoe surfaces nest inball or spherical concave surfaces 39 formed in the lower extremities ofthe links. This relation or association of ball and socket surfaces notonly forms a positive and denite interlock between the shoes and linksbut also affords universal movements between these components. Each topplate knob 27 is also formed as a convex or spherical ball shapedsurface 31 so as to nest with a concave, spherical, socket shapedsurface 32 in a related extremity of a link and a universal movement maybe also freely executed by this connection. With this construction,therefore, any vertical movement of the top plate will result in avertical movement of the shoes and any horizontal movement of the topplate will not disturb the prearranged relationship of the surfaces 19and 21.

In order to exert the required pressure against the links, the latterare provided with horizontally aligned upper and lower studs 33 and 33arespectively with these studs desirably positioned on the verticalcenter line of the links. An upper coil or helicalspring 34 has ahorizontal axis extending between the upper limits of the links to be inoverlapping relation with the upper studs thus keeping the upper coilspring in position and maintaining constant contact between ball andsocket surfaces 31 and 32. Disposed parallel with the upper coil springis a lower coil spring 35 which, at its ends telescopes the lower studsto thereby be held in a predetermined position. The lower coil springbeing compressed between the lower extremities of the links not onlymaintains a contact of the ball and socket surfaces 29 and 30 but alsoexerts suflicient pressure to cause the required amount of frictionalforces to be created on the shoe rubbing faces and the housing brushingfaces for snubbing or controlling the vibrations of the all coilsprings.

It may at times be thought necessary to limit the movement of the shoesrelative to the levers. If such is deemed necessary each link may beprovided with a post or shaft 36 centrally disposed between the linksockets and extending in a direction away from the link toward a relatedor companion housing bearing wall. This construction necessarilyinfringes on the shoe area by extending into the confines of the shoes.Accordingly each shoe has, formed therein, a U-shaped opening or slot 37and as will be noted by referring particularly to Figures 3 and 4 of thedrawings, each post extends freely into a related or adjacent slot withsuicient clearance thereabout to permit or allow a required universalmovement between the links and shoes.

For the purpose of assembly of the unit each post, at its freeextremity, has a shallow well 38 formed therein so that during assembly,a proper tool (not shown) may be seated in the wells and the links bemoved toward one another until the upper and lower coil springs aresolid. This compressing of these springs will permit the insertion ofthe shoe-link-spring assembly within the lower spring plate casing andallow the top spring cap or plate to be lowered until the ball surfaces31 are aligned with the sockets 32 at which time the tool may then bemanipulated so that all the components of the device may assume normalpositions as illustrated in the drawings.

From the above it will be noted that various changes and alterations maybe made to the illustrated and described construction without departingfrom the spirit of this invention or scope of the appended claims. f

I claim:

l. In a spring group for a railway car truck, the cornbination of, topand bottom spring plates, a group of coil springs between said plates, ahousing upstanding from said bottom plate and presenting oppositelydisposed walls, friction shoes within said housing and arranged tocontact said walls, said shoes having convex surfaces, convex surfaceson said top plate above said shoe convex surfaces, connecting meansextending between each top plate convex surface and related shoe convexsurface and provided with concave surfaces accommodating said convexsurfaces, and spring means urging said connecting means into contactwith said top plate and shoes for maintaining the connectiontherebetween.

2. In a railway truck spring unit with a built-in snubber, thecombination of, ltop and bottom spring plates, coil springs between saidplates, horizontally spaced walls upstanding from said bottom plate,horizontally spaced shoes bearing against said walls, horizontallyspaced means downstanding from said top plate, said last named meansbeing spaced inwardly of said unit from the horizontal limits of saidwalls, a link connecting each downstanding means and related shoe andarranged to pivot relative thereto, and horizontal spring means betweensaid links for urging the latter apart.

3. ln a railway truck spring unit with a built-in snubber, thecombination of, top and bottom spring plates, a group of coil springsbetween said plates, horizontally spaced vertically extending wallsupstanding from said bottom plate, horizontally spaced shoes arranged tofrictionally contact said walls, horizontally spaced legs downstandingfrom said top plate in substantial vertical alignment with said shoes,means connecting each leg and related shoe and arranged for angularmovement therebetween, and spring means between said connecting meansfor urging said connecting means apart.

4. ln a railway truck spring unit with a lbuilt-in snubber, thecombination of, top and bottom spring plates, a group of coil springsbetween said plates, a housing presenting horizontally spaced wallsupstanding fromk said bottom plate, horizontally spaced shoes arrangedto frictionally engage said walls, horizontally spaced legs formed onsaid top plate and projecting toward said shoes in substantial Verticalalignment therewith, horizontally spaced vertically extending linksjoining and universally mounted on said legs and shoes, and spring meansbetween said links for urging the latter apart.

5. In a railway truck spring unit with a built-in snubber, thecombination of, top and bottom spring plates arranged for relativevertical and horizontal movement, a housing upstanding from said bottomplate and presenting vertically disposed horizontally spaced walls,shoes horizontally spaced and arranged to frictionally engage saidwalls, horizontally spaced legs downstanding from said top plate insubstantial vertical alignment with said shoes, link means horizontallyspaced and connecting aligned legs and shoes, an articulated jointbetween each shoe and related link means, and spring means urging saidlink means into contact with said legs and shoes and said shoes intofrictional engagement with said walls.

6. In a railway truck spring unit with a built-in snubber,v thecombination of, top and bottom spring plates arranged for relativevertical and horizontal movement,

a housing upstanding from said bottom plate and presenting verticallydisposed horizontally spaced walls, shoes horizontally spaced andarranged to frictionally engage said walls, horizontally spaced legsdownstanding from said top plate in substantially vertical alignmentwith said shoes, link means horizontally spaced and connecting alignedlegs and shoes, said link means being arranged for articulate movementrelative to said legs,

and shoes, and spring means urging said link means into contact withsaid legs and shoes and said shoes into frictional engagement with saidwalls.

7. In a railway truck spring unit with a built-in snubber, thecombination of, top and bottom spring plates arranged for relativevertical and horizontal movement, a housing upstanding from said bottomplate and presenting vertically disposed horizontally spaced walls,shoes horizontally spaced and arranged to frictionally engage saidwalls, horizontally spaced legs downstanding from said top plate insubstantial vertical alignment with said shoes, link means horizontallyspaced and connecting aligned legs and shoes, said link means beingarranged for articulate movement relative to said legs and shoes, meanson said link means extending into said shoes for limiting articulatedmovement therebetween, and spring means between said link means forurging the latter into engagement with said legs and shoes.

8. In a railway truck spring unit with a built-in snubber, thecombination of, top and bottom spring plates arranged for relativevertical and horizontal movement, a housing upstanding from said bottomplate and presenting vertically disposed horizontally spaced walls,shoes horizontally spaced and arranged to frictionally engage saidwalls, horizontally spaced legs downstanding from said top plate insubstantially vertical alignment with said shoes, horizontally spacedlinks connecting said legs and shoes for moving the latter vertically inresponse to a vertical movement of said top plate, said links beingarranged for articulate movement relative to said legsand shoes, andspring means between said links for urging the latter against said lugsand shoes.

9. In a railway truck spring unit with a built-in snubber, thecombination of, top and bottom spring plates arranged for relativevertical and horizontal movement, a housing upstanding from said bottomplate and presenting vertically disposed horizontally spaced walls,shoes horizontally spaced and arranged to frictionally engage saidwalls, horizontally spaced legs downstanding from said top plate insubstantial vertical alignment with said shoes, horizontally spacedvertically extending links connecting said legs and shoes for moving thelatter vertically in response to a vertical movement of said top plate,an articulate joint between each link and associated shoe, means on saidlinks and shoes for limiting articulate movement therebetween, andspring means acting horizontally between said links for urging thelatter into contact with said legs and shoes,

10. In a spring cap for use in a spring unit, a plate having springseats spaced about said cap on one side of said plate, horizontallyspaced legs extending from said plate from a side thereof including saidspring seats, and partly spherical surfaces on said legs, said sphericalsurfaces being arranged to face one nother in horizontally alignedspaced relation.

ll. In a railway truck spring unit with built-in snubber, thecombination of top and bottom spring plates, a group of coil springsacting between said plates, a housing upstanding from said bottom plateand presenting oppositely disposed walls, horizontally spaced frictionshoes between and bearing against said walls, horizontally spacedconnecting means movably connected to and joining each of said shoes andtop plate, and spring means between said connecting means for urgingsaid connecting means apart.

l2. In a railway truck spring unit with built-in snubber, thecombination of top and bottom spring plates, a group of coil springsacting between said plates, a housing upstanding from said bottom plateand presenting oppositely disposed walls, horizontally spaced frictionshoes bearing against said walls, horizontally spaced connecting meansmovably connected to and connecting each of said shoes and said topplate, and a horizontally acting spring urging said' connecting meansapart and said shoes into frictional contact with said walls.

13. In a railway spring unit with built-in snubber and having top andbottom spring plates and a group of coil springs acting therebetween,the combination of a housing upstanding from said bottom plate, a shoemember frictionally engageable with said housing, a member downstandingfrom said top plate and spaced from said shoe member, connecting meansextending between said members, said connecting means being angleablyconnectable to each of said members through intertting surfaces on saidmembers and means by lateral displacement of said means relative to saidmembers, and spring means acting on said connecting means and urgingsaid surfaces into contact for maintaining the t connection between saidmeans and each of said members.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 207,020Dick et al Aug. 13, 1878 882,279 Washburn Mar. 17, 1908 1,398,692Haseltine Nov. 29, 1921 2,091,783 Lazna Aug. 31, 1937 2,356,742 BachmanAug. 29, 1944 2,379,626 Cottrell July 3, 1945 2,398,750 Light Apr. 16,1946 2,439,484 Miner Apr. 13, 1948 2,481,030 Link Sept. 6, 19492,483,375 Tack Sept. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 242,073 Great Britain Nov.5, 19.25

